1
as in rotations
a rapid turning about on an axis or central point
the whirl of the mechanical ride made him dizzy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in fogs
a state of mental uncertainty
so many changes at once had her all in a whirl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stirs
a state of noisy, confused activity
lost an earring in the whirl of the party
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4
as in attempts
an effort to do or accomplish something
I'm pretty good at fixing things, so how about if I give it a whirl?
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1
2
as in twirls
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis
the figure skater whirled his partner with effortless grace
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3
as in rotates
to move in circles around an axis or center
the gambler held his breath as the roulette wheel whirled
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4
as in scurries
to proceed or move quickly
cars whirling by on the highway
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whirls
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2025
Water vortices, such as whirlpools, are little water whirls that spin around.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
Yates punched the air, running back and forth across the stage and propelling into leaps and whirls.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
The congregation writhes, sometimes in unison, and whirls and stomps; at one point, a line of folks snake through a doorway and into the foreground, as the camera rotates in the opposite direction.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2025
Water vortices, such as whirlpools, are little water whirls that spin around.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 24 Sep. 2025
Yates punched the air, running back and forth across the stage and propelling into leaps and whirls.
—Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whirls
Noun
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Chloe Kim could attempt a jump called a 1260, which is 3 and a half rotations or 1260 degrees.—
Ramon Padilla,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Judges evaluate how well the element is performed, looking for intricate entrances before the take-off, a clean landing on one foot, height, distance and fully completed rotations while the skater is in the air.—
Robert Samuels,
Washington Post,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Barresi and Cuellar hold each other up with palpable tenderness, each one crafting a long, poignant arc from innocence through the fogs and thorns of experience.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
21 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Salah, who had five attempts, has failed to score in his last seven league appearances.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Minnesota made just eight of 33 three-point attempts and committed 20 turnovers while being held under 100 points for just the second time this season.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The black hole also actively pushes and stirs the galactic gas and dust.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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The script also stirs in a BDSM tryst between two servants in a stable.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Shauna Martel, a teaching assistant at the Osher Map Library twirls a massive globe around and points to Australia.—
Jackie Northam,
NPR,
7 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Once installed, every pull of the chain rotates a circular drum displaying the numbers zero through three.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
5 Feb. 2026
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Towson University rotates nearly 100 nursing students to help.—
Janay Reece,
CBS News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Bridgerton fans can spot the Old Royal Naval College mostly throughout season 2, like when a paperboy scurries across the grounds to deliver the latest gossip from Lady Whistledown in the first episode.—
Kayla Keegan,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
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The hand then detaches from the arm and scurries forward towards a bannana, flips it upward and secures it on its backside using a single finger.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Taken together, these features strongly suggest the object was part of a bow drill — a device that spins a shaft using a bow and string to create rapid back-and-forth rotation.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
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Let her courage linger while the sports calendar spins uncontrollably.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whirls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whirls. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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